Galatians 1:15-17

Galatians 1:15-17

[15] But  when  it pleased  God,  who  separated  from  mother's  womb,  and  called  me by  his  grace,  [16] To reveal  his  Son  in  that  I might preach  him  among  the heathen;  immediately  I conferred  not  with flesh  and  blood:  [17] Neither  went I up  to  Jerusalem  to  them which were apostles  before  but  I went  into  Arabia,  and  returned  again  unto  Damascus. 

What does Galatians 1:15-17 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

What totally revolutionized Paul was God"s choice to reveal Himself to him (cf. Isaiah 6:1-9; Isaiah 49:1-6; Jeremiah 1:4; Ezekiel 1:4 to Ezekiel 3:11). [1] God had taken the initiative in grace, and Paul had simply responded to that grace. God"s purpose generally was to manifest Christ through him, which is His purpose for every believer. Specifically, God"s purpose was that Paul would become an evangelist to the Gentiles. This calling had been God"s intent from the time of Paul"s birth. Paul"s conversion probably took place in A.D34.
"Paul had emphasized that he did not receive his message from men before or at the time of his conversion. Now he affirmed that he was free from human influences afterward as well." [1]5
Since his calling had been undoubtedly supernatural and abundantly clear, Paul did not need to consult with anyone natural (i.e, less than supernatural). The term "flesh" ( Galatians 1:16) is important in Galatians. It has several meanings: sinful human nature, the physical body, and here the whole of humanity (cf. Galatians 2:16; Romans 3:20; 1 Corinthians 1:29). It is a synecdoche, a figure of speech in which a prominent part stands for the whole or vice versa. [3]
Paul did not need the approval of the other apostles who had also seen and received commissions by the risen Christ either. Paul"s revelation was just as authoritative as any they had received. Instead he went to an undefined area of Arabia. The geographical area of Arabia included the lands east of Palestine, south of Syria, and west of Mesopotamia. Damascus stood on its northwestern edge. Probably Paul retreated into the part of Arabia just south of Damascus. [4] He did so apparently to restudy the Scriptural revelations of Messiah but mainly to preach the gospel as an apostle ( Galatians 1:16). [5] Then he returned to Damascus, rather than Jerusalem, still feeling no need to obtain the blessing of the other apostles but preaching the gospel (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:26-27). Paul was not being arrogant or uncooperative by behaving as he did. He simply believed in the divine origin and authority of his commission.
"Our study of Galatians 1:11-17 has shown that Paul"s conversion is to be understood as involving (a) recognition of the risen Jesus as Messiah, Lord, and Son of God, (b) the experience of being justified by faith apart from legal works, (c) the revelation of the basic principles of the gospel, and (d) the call to be an apostle to the Gentiles." [6]
Galatians 1:11-17 constitute one of six New Testament passages that describe Paul"s conversion and calling (cf. Acts 9:1-7; Acts 22:6-10; Acts 26:12-16; 1 Corinthians 9:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:3-11). [7]